How coating contractors can avoid costly pitfalls in the new year

CCS Influencer John Kenney says coatings can be an intense, reliable profit center, but only when they’re managed with the same discipline as any other construction operation.

Many contractors start the year with good intentions. Better margins. Cleaner jobs. Fewer headaches. But somewhere between the bid and the final punch list, profit tends to leak out. It’s rarely one big mistake. More often, it’s a series of minor missteps that add up over time. Avoiding those pitfalls is what separates profitable coating contractors from busy ones. 

One of the most significant problems that occurs is underestimating the job before it ever starts. Coatings look simple on paper, but surface conditions are rarely what they appear to be during a walkthrough. Moisture, contaminants, poor adhesion from previous applications or unexpected substrate movement can turn a straightforward job into a labor drain. The contractors who stay profitable slow down during pre-job evaluation. They test, document and ask hard questions before pricing the work. That upfront discipline protects margins later. 

Scope control is another place where profit quietly disappears. Coating projects are especially vulnerable to scope creep because owners often see them as “maintenance,” not construction. Small add-ons, extra prep, additional detailing and extended cure protection can pile up quickly if they’re not addressed clearly in the contract. Profitable contractors define what’s included, what’s excluded and how changes are handled before the first container is opened. Clear language avoids uncomfortable conversations and lost profit later. 

Labor planning matters. Coatings are sensitive to weather, sequencing and cure times. When crews are rushed or poorly staged, mistakes happen. Over-application, missed coverage or rework eats time and material fast. Successful contractors staff appropriately, build weather buffers into schedules and train crews to follow the system, not shortcuts. Consistency in the field shows up directly on the bottom line. 

Material handling is another overlooked profit killer. Improper storage, expired products or mixing errors lead to wasted material and failed applications. That cost doesn’t just show up in replacement products; it shows up in labor, schedule delays and reputation damage. Contractors who treat coatings like the engineered systems they are, tracking batch numbers, storage conditions and manufacturer requirements, reduce risk and protect margins. 

Communication, both internally and with the client, plays a bigger role than most realize. When crews don’t understand expectations, production slows. When owners don’t understand limitations, disputes follow. The contractors who perform best keep everyone informed with daily progress updates, weather impacts and next steps. That transparency builds trust and prevents last-minute pressure that often leads to unprofitable decisions. 

Documentation also separates disciplined contractors from reactive ones. Daily reports, photos and test results aren’t busy work. They protect you when questions come up about performance, warranty or payment. In coatings work, where failures can take months to show up, documentation is often the difference between a resolved issue and an expensive callback. 

Finally, don’t overlook the value of post-job review. Profitable contractors study completed projects. They look at where labor ran long, where material usage exceeded estimates, and where communication broke down. Those lessons feed directly into better estimating and planning on the next job. Companies that skip this step tend to repeat the same mistakes year after year. 

The coating contractors who stay profitable in the new year won’t be the ones chasing volume at all costs. They’ll be the ones who price correctly, control scope, train crews and communicate clearly. Coatings can be an intense, reliable profit center, but only when they’re managed with the same discipline as any other construction operation.